Electrical utilities use various techniques to balance, match, and store excess electric power during periods of low demand for use during periods of high demand. When the load on a system approaches the supply, the utility typically must either find additional supplies of energy or find ways to curtail the load. It can be difficult to store electric energy in bulk.
Obtaining power during periods of peak demand can be costly. Some utilities must rely on high cost “peaking” generators when demand for electric power exceeds supply. Another option is to decrease or shift loads rather than increasing or shifting supply. Shifting demand is difficult for utilities to accomplish because the magnitude of the loads put on the power delivery system of the utility is controlled by customers rather than the power supplier.
The smart power grid (“smart grid”) is believed to have infrastructure that will better provide for load shifting. The smart grid is currently being implemented. Smart grid developers anticipate that in the future individual electric appliances will be manufactured to include built-in functionality that allows the appliances to receive smart grid communications from utilities, initiate actions to reduce or stop power consumption, and send messages back to the utilities indicating states of appliances and what actions have been taken. It is expected that there will be a transition period spanning many years because compatibility with the smart grid will require consumers to replace their existing appliances with new appliances that are compatible with smart grid technology. It is believed that substantial time will be required before the utilities will be able to take advantages of the smart grid.
What is needed is a device that will allow loads without built-in smart grid technology to interact with the smart grid.